The atomic bombing of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki at the close of World War II created a profound effect on the world - especially - on the "Big Three" wartime Allies (Britain, the U.S., and USSR). Pronounced differences between the democracies (Britain, US) and communism (USSR/Russia) grew after World War II. Americans, already concerned about the communist government of the USSR, began to shift their attitudes toward that nation. In fact, a tense relationship existed during the war between the US and the USSR. Americans knew USSR dictator Josef Stalin had secretly negotiated a pact with Hitler at the beginning of the war to divide up eastern Europe, a pact that ended when Hitler invaded the USSR and Stalin turned to Britain and the US for help. As World War II ended, the US and the USSR began to compete against each to influence how the post-war world would look. When China's government also became communist, the "Cold War" between the free world (the U.S., Britain, and their allies) and communism began to dangerously accelerate. This exercise will give you an overview of the beginnings of this competition.. We'll start by looking at a map showing the extent of Germany's occupation of Europe (and the USSR) at its height:
